I read through three or four recipes that are similar to what I want to make and steal a little bit from each of them - technique from one, an ingredient from another, etc. I then tweak it to make it my own.
Last night, I made some Paleo-friendly stuffed pork chops and they were SO yummy, I wanted to share. Unfortunately, I was not confident they'd be awesome from the get-go, so I didn't take pictures as I went. All I have is this lovely pic of my leftovers!
Ingredients:
3-4 thick cut, boneless pork chops
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 small apple, diced (I used Fuji)
3 dates, diced
3-4 baby bella mushrooms, diced
1/8 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
sea salt/pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350.
Saute the onion in the coconut oil over medium heat until the onion begins to soften. Add the apple, dates, mushrooms, cinnamon and allspice to the onions and oil. Mix to coat everything in the oil and saute for a minute or two. Remove the mix from the pan and place in a bowl.
Using a sharp knife, create a pocket in the side of each pork chop, fanning the knife out to make the pocket as big as possible (without cutting through to the other side!). Stuff each chop with as much of the fruit/veggie/almond mix as it will hold. (Note: If you keep the opening just approx 2" wide, the chop will almost seal itself. Secure opening with a soaked toothpick, if needed.) Season the outside of the chops with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Place the chops in the pan and brown on both sides (roughly 2 minutes per side).
If your pan is oven-proof and has a lid, simply place the lid on the pan and pop it in the oven. If not, you can place them in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes (the more stuffing you were able to jam in there, the faster they'll cook!).
I paired my chops with sliced zucchini and squash that I cooked in some homemade chicken broth.
Enjoy!
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